Great Questions Many Buyers Have

Buyer Frequently Asked Questions

How much do you charge?

Normally our commission is paid by the Seller or Listing office of the home you are purchasing. If this is not the case (which is rare), then we can negotiate the cost of our services. There is not a set fee realtors charge.

What you offer on a home should depend on several factors, but the choice is always yours. These factors can include current market conditions, how well is the home priced, amount of interest, how well does it meet your criteria, etc. Working with us you can trust that we will guide you.

The time it takes to find a home will depend on your wants, needs, budget and your availability for showings. When you work with us, we should be able to find you the right home (if it exists) within the first 10 homes you see. Keep in mind that finding the right home and getting your offer accepted are 2 different things.

It's not a wise choice. The agent hosting the open house is working for the seller or the company the seller has hired. They have the sellers best interest in mind, not yours. You can go to open houses, just don't give the agent or anyone at the open house too much information that might hurt your bargaining position if you decide to make an offer on the home. It is best to have an agent working for you on your behalf. You can view any home on the market privately with your own agent who works for you.

As often as needed to find you the right home, then we guide you through all aspects of the transaction. When a buyer is looking for a home ASAP there are several emails, texts and calls each day. If a buyer is looking sometime in the next 3 months it might be every few days unless an ideal home hits the market.

We have sold over 700 homes, and have over 25 years experience combined. We have experience with many different types of home sales, including townhomes and condos. We have sold several bank owned, HUD owned, Fannie Mae, short sales, and estate sales as well as traditional sales.

We don't limit the amount of time you have to find a home. If you know what you want, and you know your budget, it normally will not take seeing more than 10 homes to find the right one. We listen to your wants and needs and are able to get right to the homes you'll like the best.

Only if you want to buy the home. We never push anyone into making an offer, and when you find the right house you'll know it. That's the time to make an offer. Depending on the current market, you might not have a lot of time to decide if there is a shortage in housing inventory.

Depending on your financing, you can close within 30 to 60 days from the date you go under contract. Closing dates are negotiated between buyer and seller in the contract, and we advise you in order to provide maximum protection. If you are a cash buyer, you can usually close within a few weeks if it is acceptable to the seller.

You let us know what homes you want to see, and what time you are available. We then get the homes organized in an order that makes the most sense. All showings are set up by us, and we simply let you know which house is first. Showings must be approved in order to see the home, but we handle all of that.

We highly recommend having a home inspection by a competent home inspector. Inspectors do not need to be licensed or certified, so be careful who you chose. We can recommend a few inspectors we have experience with and trust.

Refer to your lease, there may be fees, notices and restrictions if you are wanting to break a lease. Make sure you will be able to qualify for a home. Let your landlord or property manager know that you are considering buying, and keep them posted in the process. There may be lease break fees that could affect your ability to qualify for a loan.

"It's always a good time to Sell! It's always a good time to Buy!" You will not hear us say this. It's either a Buyers Market or a Sellers Market. Talk to us and we will let you know what it is currently. You can find deals in either type of market, you just need experienced people on your side.

This can depend on your situation, the time of year, the market, interest rates, etc. Everyone's situation is different. Talk to us and we will give you the information you need to make an informed decision.

Many realtors would tell you "Yes!" no matter when you ask this question, or what your individual situation is. We will help you make an informed decision on whether now is the right time for you or not. It can depend on your personal and financial situation, the market, interest rates, the time of year, etc.

A home warranty can be negotiated with your offer if you desire. A home warranty is a warranty provided by a 3rd party company. They cover some major systems, but do have fine print... if you have 4 burners on your stove and one stops working... will they tell you the other 3 burners still work or will they fix/replace the problem?

An HOA is a Home Owners Association. If you live in an HOA you will have specific rules, regulations and bylaws to abide by. Many times home modifications will need to be approved by the HOA. Some HOAs have dues, and some do not. You should be advised of these fees and allowed to review all rules, financials, meeting minutes, covenants and bylaws before you purchase a home.

We highly recommend it. You want an expert on your side that has your best interest in mind. Hiring us will rarely cost you to have Buyer Representation. If it costs you anything, you will know it before making a decision.

When you hire us to work for you, we'll send you homes through an MLS portal. We show you the homes you want to see or others we think will meet your needs. Together we'll discuss price and terms, and write an offer to your liking on the home you feel is right for you. Negotiations with the seller take place through us, and once your offer is accepted you are officially under contract with your future home. We send the contract to your lender (if you are getting financing) to get their process started. Next is a home inspection. Negotiation of inspection issues with the seller takes place through us, and we provide insight and suggestions. Ideally, after there is an agreement to inspection items, your lender orders the appraisal. You'll then receive final loan terms and the Closing Disclosure from your lender. After acknowledging the Closing Disclosure, you'll do a final walk through of the home just prior to closing with us. We all go to Closing, sign the paperwork, and you get the keys!

Yes. You should know if and how much home you can comfortably afford before looking. When you make an offer, your preapproval will show the seller that you are a good candidate to purchase the home. If a seller receives 2 offers, and one of the buyers has a preapproval letter and the other does not, the buyer with the preapproval letter will be the one considered first.

When a lender pre-qualifies you, they are simply going off of the information you may have told them. To pre-approve you, they will have you fill out an application, pull your credit, and look at tax returns, pay stubs etc. A pre-approval holds much more weight and give sellers more comfort that you can actually purchase their home.

The answer depends on the current market. Obstacles can include multiple offers, inflated prices, inspection issues, lender requirements, etc. We do our best to mitigate obstacles for you; normally we can see obstacles coming and therefore are able to avoid them.